


a series of pretty promises

by mssjynx



Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: Falling In Love, First Dates, First Kiss, First Love, Love, M/M, Romance, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-17 22:18:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18107612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mssjynx/pseuds/mssjynx
Summary: a story of how two boys fell in love, promise by promise





	a series of pretty promises

**Author's Note:**

> this is a gift to my friend alfa seeing as it was her birthday recently! ^.^

The bustle of people held them close, one arm wrapped easily over Ryan’s shoulder to keep him from getting jostled with the crowd. The theatre had never been so busy, but the new Star Wars film wasn’t one to go unnoticed. 

Ryan waited patiently as the popcorn machine rumbled, dropping lovely buttery pieces of popcorn into the cardboard bucket. He tried not to pay too much attention to how close Luke was at his side, thumb drifting back and forth over the protruding bone atop the end of Ryan’s shoulder. The action may have been an unconscious one for Luke, but Ryan was all too aware of their proximity. 

It was the first time they’d hung out together outside of the cafe and he couldn’t help the butterflies fluttering in his tummy as his recurring internal question circled through his mind again. 

“Woah!” Luke’s exclamation drew his attention back to his bucket, overflowing with popcorn which fell to their feet. He jerked the bucket away from the dispenser. “You still with me, Ryan?” His words were brushed with amusement as Ryan lifted his hand to hide his blush of embarrassment. 

“Sorry.” He only met Luke’s eyes for a moment before dropping his attention as his face went up in flames. “Got lost in my thoughts for a second.” 

The arm over his shoulders dropped to settle around his waist, long fingers resting atop Ryan’s shirt. He began leading the two of them towards the theatre, holding his tickets in hand. “Is everything okay?” Luke asked, and the touch of concern that leaked into his low, southern tone had the warm flush in Ryan’s cheeks reaching down to fill his heart too. 

With whatever courage he could muster, he looked up to meet Luke’s gorgeous dark eyes again and nodded his head with a gentle smile. “I’m all fine, don’t stress. Just… distracted,” he explained, trying not to notice how Luke pulled him that slight bit closer when giving the theatre worker their tickets. He tore the corner of them before handing them back and the two continued down the hall to the entrance of their assigned theatre. 

“Well don’t be too distracted to miss this movie, okay? If you zone out through the whole thing I’m gonna have to drag you back here for the next showing and we’ll watch it all over again.” The tease in his voice had a touch of the truth and touch of a joke, and Ryan didn’t doubt that the boy would do exactly that. 

He nodded with a soft laugh, the arm around his waist slipping away only for his fingers to be caught and linked with Luke’s. The southern boy lead Ryan up the stairs, between the many rows full of other people. Ryan had no idea how Luke had managed to catch such perfect seats as they shuffled past people knees to the very back right corner of the theatre. “How early did you book these tickets?” Ryan asked, his hushed tone aware of the number of people sitting impatiently in their seats. 

When he sat himself down, popping his drink in the cupholder and the popcorn between them, he looked to Luke who was surprisingly quiet and blinked in confusion. Was it too dim for him to see right or were Luke’s cheeks a darker tone than usual? 

The older boy glanced away and Ryan didn’t get the chance to decide. “A little bit before I asked you,” he commented, nonchalant about the fact. Ryan blinked. He had asked him a few weeks before, knowing the movie was soon to be released, but how early had Luke been thinking about asking Ryan to go with him? “Get comfortable,” Luke whispered before Ryan could form a question that wasn’t embarrassing. The quick change of subject was perfectly timed as the black wall before them lit up and music seeped through the speakers. 

The movie was beginning. 

Yet thirty minutes into the movie and Ryan could hardly pay attention. He kept zoning into his thoughts, jolting as if electrocuted anytime his knuckles brushed with Luke’s when they simultaneously reached for popcorn, completely losing himself in his nerves and questions and wonders. 

Why had Luke asked Ryan? From all the flirting and little bantering, to go to hanging out as friends was so peculiar. It didn’t feel just friendly, with all the hand holding, arms around shoulders and waists. But Luke hadn’t put up the middle armrest! Wasn’t that something people did when they went on dates; cuddled up together and watched the movie? So was Ryan wrong to think it was a date? Luke hadn’t specified so and he didn’t mention anything about any reasons to why he’d asked Ryan so-

“Ryan, is there something bothering you?” Luke’s voice wound its way into his awareness and he snapped his attention to the boy sitting beside him, watching with careful, worried eyes. They glimmered in the dim theatre, deep and full of stars. “Are you okay?” Gentle fingertips followed the question, drifting down the sensitive skin on the inside of Ryan’s forearm before slipping between his fingers. 

The cafe worker ducked his head for a moment, hesitating before lifting his gaze back to meet Luke’s. “Is this… a date?” he asked, the words followed my an internal sigh of relief at their release. 

Luke’s expression didn’t shift except for the slight tilt his lips adopted, turning up at the question. “If you want it to be a date, it is. If not, then that’s okay too,” he explained, the simple, open answer warming Ryan’s heart despite not giving him what he wanted. He smiled at his hands, glancing to the theatre screen. 

“But when you asked me,” he pushed, “did you ask me in thinking of taking me on a date? I don’t want you to just say it’s a date now so I- because I want it to be. I want you to be honest.” 

The hand in his lifted, tightening slightly as it was brought up to rest atop the arm rest between them. Luke’s free fingers slipped up over Ryan’s knuckles, moving slowly and lightly over the back of his hand and his wrist. “When I asked you, I was intending it to be a date. I chickened out last minute and didn’t specify, but from the moment I bought the tickets, it has been a date to me.” 

Ryan watched his face, eyes squinted just slightly as he tried to pick out anything in Luke’s face that might have told him the older boy was lying to reassure him. “You sure?” he whispered, aware of the irritated glares sent their way from Luke’s distinct voice. 

Luke’s smile broadened, shuffling back and releasing Ryan’s hand. He pushed the armrest up, moving the popcorn to his other side and shuffling into the space he had created between them. “I promise,” he told him, slipping an arm behind Ryan’s back when he leaned forward, and tugging him firmly to his side. 

The sincerity in his voice was enough for Ryan, being cuddled into Luke’s side in the exact way he’d wanted to be. With clear air surrounding them and a comfortable warmth holding them together, they returned their attention to the film playing in front of them and Ryan rested his head against Luke’s shoulder. 

Thoughtlessly playing with Luke’s long fingers throughout the duration of the rest of the film, he didn’t get distracted again until it was over. 

 

-

 

The second date was more than special. First of all, Luke greeted Ryan at the cafe counter, wearing a dazzling grin and a confident look in his eyes. 

“Would you like to go to the aquarium with me this Sunday?” he asked, paying no mind to Ryan’s coworker who slinked away from the blushing boy with a smirk. The brunette dropped his eyes, obviously embarrassed by the attention, but Luke couldn’t look away if he wanted to. Ryan was cute normally, but with flushed cheeks and that flustered smile; Luke had never seen someone look so beautiful. 

“Luke,” he mumbled, lifting a hand to cover the right side of his rosy face. 

“A second date,” Luke clarified, grinning still and leaning forward on the counter. “Write your number down on my cup for me an’ I’ll message you tomorrow about it, okay? My usual, please.” The little wink he added to the end of his order unsurprisingly had Ryan’s flush crawling down his neck, the barista taking the bill from Luke’s hands and quickly giving him his change. 

His quiet murmur of: “It’ll only be a minute,” had amused giggles sounding from the two girls standing behind Luke in line. 

“Thanks, sugar.” 

Ryan’s ears were bright red, the girls releasing another round of amused giggles as Luke turned and walked down to his usual booth. When his drink arrived, he smiled with satisfaction at the scrawl of ten digits lining the side of paper cup along with a little sharpie heart. 

And the date went as swimmingly (Luke couldn’t not snicker at his internal pun) as it could have gone. 

From the moment Ryan arrived in long overalls with a camera around his neck, Luke couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. He pulled the shorter boy into a hug, winding their fingers together as he did so. There was no better feeling than Ryan’s hand clutching the back of Luke’s shirt while the brunette buried his face in Luke’s shoulder. 

And it seemed that was as long as Ryan could last hiding his excitement, as when they pulled away Ryan was wearing the biggest smile Luke had ever seen on his gorgeous face. It wasn’t shy, flustered or embarrassed like the ones he showed when Luke flirted and flattered him in the cafe, nor was it mischievous like the ones Luke caught across the room after receiving his coffee with some ridiculous nickname scrawled on the side. 

It was pure, unadulterated excitement and the beauty of the boy standing in front of him hit Luke like a sucker punch. 

Before Luke could even greet him, Ryan was almost running down the path with him in tow. The air-conditioning welcomed them into the lobby, Ryan bouncing on the balls of his feet as he gazed around the room at pictures and art of the ocean and its creatures. 

“A little excited, are we?” Luke probed, bumping their intertwined hands against Ryan’s hip. Beautiful green eyes fell to Luke, that smile never faltering as he let out a laugh and a shrug. 

“I’ve always loved ocean animals,” he explained, kicking his feet at the smooth flooring. “I’ve never been to an actual aquarium.”

Luke grinned. “Well, you’ll love every second in this place,” he said, making sure his words were strong and genuine. 

Ryan could hardly wait long enough for them to buy their entry and walk into the facility. Immediately, Ryan was dragging Luke through each room, stopping at large windows to examine the little fish and ocean animals in each little fish tank. He took pictures and fawned over multi-coloured jellyfish. 

By the time they made it to the little underground theatre with a large wall of grass exposing the bigger fish that swam around the wider tank. It was just the two of them wandering behind the row of seats and gazing in awe at the underwater life on the other side of the glass. 

Ryan was up against the glass in seconds. “Look! Did you see that one!? It’s a baby zebra shark- he’s coming back!” The nineteen year old didn’t stop himself from squatting down to the shark’s level as it swam languidly up to the glass. “See his spots and stripes? They’re such pretty sharks.” The shark turned and ducked away, Ryan half raising to stand before a gasp left his mouth. Luke watched with a fond smile as the boy jumped up and stumbled along the glass wall to wherea small crowd of brightly coloured seahorses were floating around in a crowd of grass and corals. 

“Fuck, seahorses are so cool! They’re such weird little animals, look at her nose!” he exclaimed, blindly reaching out and grabbing Luke’s shirt. He yanked his date close, pulling him down to crouch beside Ryan and get a closer look at the odd little ocean creatures. It was almost impossible for Luke to pull his gaze away from Ryan’s face of childish awe. 

There was nothing more gorgeous than the simplistic happiness that vibrated through the entirety of his date’s being. 

When Ryan glanced at Luke, his grin faltered and Luke frowned. Anxiety slipped into those bright eyes and Luke wanted to put that joy back in the boy in front of him as quickly as he could. “I’m sorry,” Ryan said, laughing lightly. Luke could see him getting smaller, retreating back into his shell of worry and concern and fear. “I don’t mean to be annoying I just- I get pretty excited about this stuff.” 

Now that just wasn’t going to fly with Luke at all. He fell to his butt, sitting on the carpeted floor and easily getting a grip on Ryan’s wrist. One swift tug was all that was necessary for the boy to unbalance and fall on top of Luke, knees falling either side of his thighs to stop him from slamming down on his date’s lap. 

Still, the proximity of it was enough to have his cheeks burning pink. Before he could push up and away, one of Luke’s hands fell to his hip, and the other lifted to cup his face. Ryan sucked in a breath through his teeth and fell dead still. 

“Don’t you think for a second I’m unhappy or annoyed.” He didn’t let Ryan look anywhere else but his eyes, making sure the boy in his lap heard his every word. “I’m…” Trying to find an explanation to his distracted behaviour took him a long second. He bit his tongue. “I’ve never seen you smile so much before. I just can’t stop thinking about how beautiful you are.” 

He ignored his own fluster at the honesty in his tone, brushing his thumb along Ryan’s warm cheekbone. Shaky fingers lifted to curl around his wrist, Ryan’s weight settling over Luke’s thighs as green eyes dropped to the space between them. “Don’t say that,” he murmured, cheeks darkening further. 

Luke’s head tilted lightly, lips soft in his smile. “I want to see you smile like this every day,” he said, drawing Ryan closer as he practically melted above him. Their foreheads bumped lightly, resting together as Luke counted the freckles that spotted Ryan’s rosy cheeks. 

“I’m childish-” 

“You’re not.” Green eyes lifted, locking with Luke’s open, honest gaze. “I don’t think you’re childish; I think you’re beautiful.” The fingers around his wrist squeezed lightly, the moment hovering between them. Luke didn’t miss the way Ryan’s bottom lip quivered. “Do you believe me?” 

Those pretty eyes fell shut, brows creasing with internal conflict. “Maybe…” 

“If there’s one thing I won’t ever do, Ry; it’s break a promise,” he explained. “And I promise you that I’m telling the truth when I say that you are damn beautiful when you blush, and even more so when you’re happy like that.” 

The way Ryan slumped, eyes closed and body loose showed his defeat and acceptance, and Luke knew he didn’t need to push the boy any more. He leaned forwards, pressing his lips to that warm cheek before giving his hip a nudge. The barista blinked his eyes open and allowed Luke to help him back to his feet. 

“Have you ever touched a stingray?” he offered. No matter how many thoughts were running around Ryan’s head, the idea of being able to interact with real life stingrays was too good to pass up. Luke watched the boy visibly push his inner conflict about the little reassuring pep-talk he’d received to the back of his head for another time. 

His current focus was the offer of friendly stingrays and Luke’s hand in his, pulling him towards the stairs that would lead them around the next site of the aquarium they had yet to experience. 

 

-

 

When Ryan turned up at Luke’s apartment four days after their second date, the mechanic didn’t exactly know what to do. He was covered in grease and dressed in old dirty clothes, having dragged himself away from working in his home to answer to door and not expecting Ryan to be standing there looking stressed as all hell. 

“Can I come in?” 

Luke was already dreading the conversation ahead, hoping to anything that it wasn’t what he thought it was going to be. No matter his fears, seeing Ryan so distressed was unsettling and he stepped aside for the boy immediately. “Are you okay?” he asked, shutting the door behind him and following Ryan into his home. 

He spun around in the middle of his walk, not even making it down the hall before he was landing a helpless look on Luke. “What are we?” he asked. Luke blinked, brows raised in surprise as he let the question sink in. “Because we’ve been going on dates and I see you at work all the time- whenever you’re around me I get all warm and- and embarrassed and I don’t know… I know what it means but I’m scared.”

Luke closed the space between them with a few long strides, reaching an arm around and pulling the boy towards him. Arms flew around his waist tightly and he tucked his head into Luke’s neck.

“We don’t have to be anything if you’re not ready or if you don’t want that,” he explained. 

“I want to but- but I’m-”

“Ryan?” he drew back and met those fearful green eyes. “I want to be able to call you mine, but if you don’t know yet that’s okay. I’ll wait until you know what you want.” 

He found Ryan’s hand with his, giving his fingers a short squeeze of reassurance when the younger boy gave a troubled shake of the head. “I can’t do that to you, just because I’m- I don’t-” He didn’t know how to finish his own sentence.

“I haven’t got eyes for anyone but you,” Luke confessed, ignoring the low pain in his chest. He would be completely honest with Ryan, even if it meant losing what they were headed towards. “And if you’re not sure, I’ll wait for you until you know what you want, okay? I only have eyes for you. I’ll wait, I promise.”

“You shouldn’t wait for me.” He dropped his forehead to rest against Luke’s chest, words defeated and low. “I’m not worth it.”

Luke didn’t even try to stop himself, raising a hand and carding his fingers through the mess of brown curls. “You are to me,” he said, voice content and sincere. “You just think about yourself and I’ll be here ready to go as fast and far as you want.”

It was Ryan who took his hand, grip loose and uncertain. Luke let him hold on as tight as he wanted, pulling away and leading Ryan into the living room.

“Find a movie and I’ll go get us some ice cream,” he instructed, waiting for Ryan’s slow nod before walking out of the room. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, ignoring it like he did that fact that he may have ruined his chances with the cutest boy he could’ve asked for.

 

-

 

**luke: I’ll be over in 5**

He tucked his phone into his pocket and continued cleaning up his bedroom. Dirty clothes in the wash basket, bed made, desk cleared. He was eager to see Ryan again, having not seen the boy in three days due to college testing and his work schedule.

By the time he was pulling up outside Ryan’s apartment complex, he had the energy to run up all four flights of stairs just to give the boy a hug. 

They hadn’t spoken of dating and Ryan hadn’t pushed their relationship any further than a little bit of flirting mixed in with their banter. Luke wasn’t complaining; like he’d promised, he would wait. And the two were still frequently seeing each other, almost daily when their schedules allowed it.

He’d become familiar with Ryan’s home by then, fetching the hidden spare key and letting himself in. “Ryan,” he called, shutting the door behind him. A smile lit his face at the pitter-patter of paws on floorboards as Tiny darted around the corner and barreled straight for his legs.

He gave the dog a head-rub before stepping over him and placing his bag on the kitchen counter. There was no sign of Ryan but the soft tones of music from the boy’s bedroom had Luke’s attention.

When he pushed the bedroom door in, a surprised squawk-like scream sounded from within and Luke looked in with confused concern. Ryan was perched on the floor, half-lifted from where he’d been kneeling in front of his full length mirror. 

Luke’s attention snapped straight to the rosy shimmer coating Ryan’s lips, heart flipping with an urge he had to control. 

“Luke!” The surprised voice was accompanied with a red flush of humiliation, Ryan reaching up and hopelessly trying to scrape the tinted lip-balm off his lips. “I- My lips were chapped and- and I couldn’t find- there was only this stuff-” He had stumbled to his feet as he pushed out a mess of excuses and reasons to his “inappropriate” activity, but silenced himself at Luke’s shake of his head. 

“It looks nice on you,” he said, voice softer than it was when he spoke with any of his other friends. It was something about Ryan that melted his hardcore edge. “Makes your lips look-... nice.” His compliment fell short, the word “kissable” halfway off his tongue before he caught it and reeled it back. It wasn’t appropriate for him to say something like that; the last thing he wanted was to make Ryan anymore uncomfortable. “C’mere.”

Ryan dragged himself closer, eyes down as a sense of shamed circled his head. He didn’t look up until Luke’s fingers brushed his jaw, slipping up to cup his cheek when he didn’t pull away. Those green eyes locked on Luke’s as the southern boy dragged his thumb across the skin beneath Ryan’s lip, wiping away the residue of the pink smudged off his lips. “It’s stupid,” he murmured, looking away when Luke’s eyes lifted to his from his lips. “And girly.” 

“Well it makes you look cute,” Luke said, brushing his clean thumb over Ryan’s cheekbone, “not girly at all.” His words had the weight to them and he didn’t need to explain that they were a promise of truth. Ryan’s shy silence proved he understood, and his rosy cheeks remained for several minutes after Luke’s hand had fallen away from his face. 

He followed Luke out into the kitchen. 

“Now, I bought us some cocoa so we can actually make our brownies brown this time.” Luke’s grin seemed to be contagious, Ryan unable to stop his glossy lips twitching into a smile. That was enough for the southerner, turning back to his bag and pulling out the baking ingredients needed to make themselves a delicious batch of brownies. 

 

-

 

Ryan hadn’t stopped fidgeting since Luke had picked him up. He was sat in the passenger seat, watching the remains of the sunset dissipate out his side window, fingers playing with the hem of his shirt, his phone case, his fingernails. His hands refused to sit still. 

Luke didn’t mention it, knowing that the boy he adored wasn’t so good at hiding when he was anxious or nervous. He didn’t want to push him to spill what was on his mind; he let him wander through his thoughts in the silence of the car. By the time they pulled up to the outdoor cinema, he looked ready to pull his hair out and Luke reached over to settle his hand over Ryan’s. They stilled beneath his fingers, green eyes flicking up to Luke’s. 

“What’s wrong?” Luke’s voice was warm and open. “At this rate, you’ll hardly be able to watch the movie if you’re this unnerved. What’s up?” 

Ryan ducked his head. “Nothing, I’m good. It’s fine!” His smile was wobbly and pained. 

There was no denying the fact that it had been a blatant lie but Luke just sighed, turning away and getting out of his car. The open back of the pick-up truck was already lined with blankets but Luke got to steady work decking the back out with an unnecessary amount of pillows and fluffy duvets. 

When Ryan was climbing into the back to get comfortable, Luke could still feel his nerves radiating from his skin. He was nibbling on his bottom lip, tearing strips of skin off and licking the red lines that formed beneath. 

“Ryan,” Luke said, catching the boy’s attention as he clambered into the back after him. He kicked the blankets up over both of their legs. “Tell me what’s bothering you.” He reached over to Ryan, pushing his fingers into the back pocket of the boy’s pants and fishing out a small cylinder. 

A layer of red fluttered over his cheeks, taking the lip balm and rolling it over his nerves-ruined lips. “It’s- it’s not a big deal.” If there was one thing Ryan was stubborn about, it was refusing to let go and let someone try to help him. 

“It’s a big deal to me. You can talk to me,” he offered. 

“Can I?” 

“Always,” Luke promised, a pained push against his chest. “Always.” 

Ryan’s head fell to his hands, fingers rubbing at his eyes as Luke took the lipbalm back. “Do you still want me?” He pressed the words to the palms of his hands, find courage in the blindness his hands provided. Luke felt the words run through his head, over and over as he tried to process them. 

Before he could think into the meaning of the question, the implication, the tone of hope; the words, “Of course,” slipped out of his lips. It wasn’t a question to him, watching the boy before him in the dark lift his head, shining green eyes full of fear and hope, lips shimmering with a sheen of lip balm that unavoidably drew Luke’s gaze. He had to bite his own lip to stop himself from pushing forward onto his knees and fitting his lips against Ryan’s. 

The idea had his stomach flipping. 

“I’m scared,” Ryan admitted, keeping his eyes on Luke’s. “But I… I want… You make me happier than anyone else has,” he whispered, afraid of his own words as Luke hung off each and every one. 

He reached out a hand, finding Ryan’s and giving him a small smile. “There’s no rush,” he pushed, torn between taking what he could and making sure Ryan knew what he wanted. He didn’t want to push the boy into it and have it spiral down into a disaster. He didn’t want to risk it. “I don’t want you to feel like you-”

“I don’t,” he reassured, slipping his fingers between Luke’s. “I… I want to… be with you.” 

Luke couldn’t hold his grin back anymore. “Do you wanna be my boyfriend?”

Ryan’s smile flickered into life as the huge projected screen lit up behind Luke. “Yes,” he whispered, tugging on Luke’s hand and drawing him across the space between them. “C’mere.” He pulled Luke towards him, pressing a hand flat to his chest to push him back into the pillows mountained up around then. With Luke laying in the centre of the bed, Ryan wriggled beneath his arm and laid his head on his newly-labeled boyfriend’s chest. 

That strong arm wound around his back, pulling him snugly against Luke who tucked his face into Ryan’s hair, pressing a kiss to the top of his head, and setting a flush of red across Ryan’s face above his broad smile. 

The introduction to the film started and Luke had never been more comfortable watching a film than he was with Ryan’s head on his chest and their fingers linked together. 

 

-

 

It was at a party where they first introduced themselves as boyfriends to their friends. A collection of both of their crowds mingling together in Luke’s apartment with music, games and drinks for all around. There was celebrating, cheering and teasing that circulated the new couple, having only been together the two weeks. 

Questions of their relationship were thrown from all directions but Luke quickly and easily deflected those that brought a blush to Ryan’s cheeks (most of them). 

When everyone had settled down, an all-out-war was going down on the couches with Mario Kart music urging them on. Luke was sat between Jon and Mark, eyes locked on the screen that Scott, Marcel and Tyler were all shouting and screaming unintelligibly at. They knew better than to get involved, not wanting to destroy Luke’s gaming controllers (though by the looks of it, Tyler was close). 

Ryan brought out a new plate of snacks for everyone, hands flying to get the first bites, but stood awkwardly by the side of the couch upon realising there wasn’t really any space for him. Luke caught his eye, offering a smile, and motioned for him to come over to his couch. 

“Come sit,” he said when Ryan was close enough to hear his voice over Marcel’s agonised screams. He patted his thigh, nodding Ryan closer and smiling to himself at the familiar red that bloomed across his boyfriend’s cheeks and painted the tips of his ears. 

“It’s okay, I’ll just sit-” A sharp yelp cut his sentence off as warm fingers snagged his wrist, locking on and dragging him towards the full couch. Luke’s grin was teasing yet fond as he yanked Ryan close and pulled him down to sit on his lap. “Luke-!” he whined, smacking his hand against his boyfriend’s chest. “I’m too heavy to sit on you.” 

Luke just shook his head, winding his arms around Ryan’s waist and pulling his back firmly to his chest. Chin perched on his boyfriend’s shoulder, he let a chuckle slip from his grin. “You’re not heavy at all; relax,” he urged, pressing a light kiss to the arch of muscle between Ryan’s neck and shoulder. 

The boy’s grumble vibrated against Luke’s chest, but he melted in the embrace all the safe, leaning into the warm hold and letting his head tilt just slightly to provide more space for chaste, teasing pecks up his neck. “You promise?” he asked, uncertainty fading in his voice with every moment. Luke slipped a hand beneath his shirt, settling on the warm skin of his hip where his thumb could draw little swirls and circles. 

“I promise,” he reassured, ignoring the faked sounds of throwing up Jonathan was making to his right. He pressed a final kiss just below Ryan’s ear, tightening his hold on the boy before setting his head on his shoulder and turning his attention back to the new race seconds away from starting. 

 

-

 

The number of times Luke had to physically pull himself back from leaning forward and stealing Ryan’s first kiss was totalling up far too high. He knew his boyfriend was still anxious about their relationship, the flirting and bantering being at an all-time-high but the physical contact still a work of progress. 

There hadn’t ever been legitimate sexual tension between them besides silly jokes and flirty innuendos, and even though they’d been seconds away from sealing their first kiss on multiple occasions. For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to commit to it, though he didn’t know what he was waiting for.

It only lasted another week before their late night adventure to the beach marked the night of their first kiss. 

It wasn’t a night they planned to swim, wind just strong enough to push hair into faces and pull teasingly at loose clothing; the two were both rugged up in pants and hoodies but bore no shoes as they wandered beneath the moon. 

“I love the stars out here,” Ryan whispered, words fading into the sound of small waves crashing on the sand, reaching forward to try and grasp them only to fall back and try again. There was no calmer sound, no calmer existence than the one Luke experienced, feeling cold water wash over his feet as he walked, Ryan’s fingers linked loosely in his. It was hard to draw his attention away from the coat of lip balm on Ryan’s lips that shimmered beneath the star-light. 

He looked beautiful in the twilight. 

He always looked beautiful. 

“Luke?” He didn’t realise they had stopped, Ryan’s hand in his keeping both of their feet planted as he looked quizzically up at his boyfriend. “You zoned out a minute there. Is everything okay?” 

His confusion dissipated into a warm smile, reaching forward to take Ryan’s other hand as he took a step into the boy’s space. “Just admiring the view,” he said, smile turning up into a teasing smirk as Ryan frowned. 

“Don’t be silly,” he scolded, ducking his face away. 

A tug on his hands drew him a step closer, chest bumping with Luke’s though he made no move of stepping away. His eyes were locked on Luke’s and the soft coo of the ocean urged them closer. 

“You look beautiful tonight,” Luke said, honest words falling with so much weight from his shoulders. He watched closely at the slight change in colour brushing the roundness of Ryan’s cheekbones. 

Those glimmering green eyes flickered down to Luke’s lips for half a second before jolting back to his eyes. Luke didn’t miss it, but he didn’t push closer. “The stars are playing tricks on you.” His words lacked their usual tease, Luke finding it coincidental how the term “starstruck” came to mind. Though he didn’t bother scolding his boyfriend, or frowning at the dismissal of his compliment; he merely shook his head with a soft smile, unable to take his eyes away from the beauty in the face before him. 

“I want to kiss you,” Luke murmured, words so simple and weightless with the backdrop of nothing but stars and ocean. Ryan’s sharp inhale was only audible due to the natural silence surrounding them and Luke swayed forward a touch. “I haven’t stopped thinking about kissing you since the theatre,” he admitted, not bothering to think over his words. There was something magical about the night that assured him that there was no point in holding back the truths he locked beneath his tongue. 

Ryan swallowed, licking his lips briefly as his gaze once again dropped to Luke’s mouth, to follow his words or to wonder for himself, Luke didn’t know. But the restraint he was holding was growing thinner and weaker by the second. 

“You think about kissing me?” Ryan whispered, disbelief floating on his vowels. 

“Every single time I see you,” Luke swore, slipping one hand out of Ryan’s to lift to his cheek. The simple motion of brushing an eyelash from his cheekbone had tingles jumping off his arm but he didn’t acknowledge them as he hovered his thumb in front of Ryan’s face, eyelash perched on his nail. “Make a wish,” he breathed, not even sure if his words made it past his lips. 

Ryan’s eyes fluttered, not even looking at the thin hair as he exhaled and pushed it off the tip of Luke’s thumb. “Kiss me,” was his only wish and Luke refused to disappoint him again. 

The second Luke pressed his lips to Ryan’s a wave of relief and comfort rolled through him. His fingers cupped Ryan’s cheek, holding the chaste kiss for a few long seconds before drawing back a hair to breathe. 

There was a second that passed where they shared the same air, lashes fluttering with uncertainty whether to remain closed or blink open. It was Ryan who lifted his hands and grasped two fistfuls of Luke’s hoodie, pulling him close and sealing their lips together once more. 

A spark flickered when Luke’s tongue brushed against Ryan’s bottom lip, cold water washing over their feet contrasted with the heat shared between their mouths. The feeling of lips relaxing beneath Luke’s, softening at his tongue’s touch and parting with trust and permission. When their chests bumped, Luke could have sworn their hearts shared a beat and he wrapped an arm around Ryan to pull him as close as he could get. 

The fingers in his shirt untangled, lifting to slide around the side and back of his neck. The brush of an exhale on Luke’s upper lip, Ryan pressing into the touch of his hand as he deepened the kiss and slid his tongue along the underside of Luke’s. 

Never had Luke lost himself in a sensation like that before; kissing his boyfriend beneath the starlight. When he drew back, he was breathless, eyes quick to take in the glossy sheen of Ryan’s lips, the unfocused glaze over his pretty eyes and the flush of pink that danced beneath his freckles. 

He was simply beautiful, gazing up at Luke with wonder written in his eyes, and Luke made a promise to himself right there on the sand that he would never, ever let this boy get away.


End file.
